Tales of Love
by TokiyoWind
Summary: There are always long, treacherous journeys before you find that perfect match. Drabble series, ratings vary.
1. The Stare

_**A/N:**_Hello all. I hope you had a lovely summer. I am now back in school and I started my first day at the high school yesterday. It's pretty fun and I plan on becoming very involved with the school. Anyways, I am starting a drabble series just for you! I will work on these more often during school time since it's much easier for me to work on this than on my detailed, hard-to-plan stories. So, I hope you enjoy what I have in store for you all.

Summary: There are always long, treacherous journeys before you find that perfect match. Drabble series, ratings vary.

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own this wonderful world of Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

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**_Tales of Love_**

_**Chapter One: **__**The Stare**_

_**Rated: T**_

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It had been a good long week since Kakashi had revealed the secrets behind his mask to his teammates. He never thought the day would come, but he was tired of their little games and pleading. Also, he decided that they finally matured into fine, young shinobi and were trustworthy enough. Therefore, he showed them what they had longed for for the past eight years.

He regretted that decision now.

Naruto started to bother him about his face more than before. The boy would chase after him for hours, questioning him and pleading to take a picture of him. Though Naruto said that it was only for his memory scrapbook, he was absolutely sure that it was for the whole village to see.

Sai, fortunately, was not as irritating. When he had first seen his face, he merely shrugged and nodded in approval. Every now and then, however, the young ANBU trainee would request to draw his bare face. Apparently, Kakashi had a perfect jaw structure, or so he was told.

The worst out of them all, much to Kakashi's surprise, was Sakura. She was more mature than any other child he had ever met. Always, she held a perfect stature, a calm attitude, and never failed to impress him. For the past few years, she had grown into a wonderful kunoichi and it was definite that her maturity was the strongest. Seeing her like this made him…uncomfortable.

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

Kakashi scratched the side of his head, puzzled at the stare Sakura was giving him. They were sitting across each other on his small dining table. She dropped by his apartment complex to hand him a scroll given by Tsunade, the Hokage, and stayed a little bit longer than he thought she would.

Sakura's expression held nothing but pure fascination. Her heavy lidded, emerald eyes were big and shining with curiosity. Her cheeks were tinted red as if she was somewhat pleased and her lips were slightly parted. In all honesty, he found her quite amusing, but _it_ was beginning to bother him.

Her stare. It was…scaring him.

"Hm?" she hummed softly, propping her chin on her upraised hand. "Like what?"

His mismatched eyes darted around the room momentarily. "Like…you want to…touch me or something," he mumbled sheepishly, tugging at the mask pooled around his neck.

Her lips curled into a smile. "May I?"

Kakashi simply glared at her. "No."

"Oh," she sighed, the disappointment obvious in her tone.

"…Why are you so interested in me all of a sudden, Sakura?"

"Because."

"Because?"

A small pause.

"Because your face is so fascinating."

The silver-haired jonin rose a brow at her. He drawled, "Oh, is that so?"

"Yes!" she stated excitedly. "Which is the very reason why I need to touch it!"

He shook his head, waving his finger from side to side as if he was scolding her. "No, no. I need to know why my face is so 'amazing' first."

"Hmm, well…you're just so…perfect!" she explained somewhat quickly, looking down at her lap to avoid his consuming gaze. "I'll admit, you're very handsome, Kakashi. I can see now why you keep that mask on all the time."

"Why thank you, Sakura-chan. I think you're very beautiful too," he smiled, amused by her shyness and embarrassment.

Sakura's cheeks reddened even further and she tossed her head in the other direction, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "A-Ah, so is it okay if I touch y-your face now?"

Kakashi smirked. "No."

"You fucking bastard!"

"Now, now. Cursing is bad for a young lady like you, Sakura-chan."

"Ugh."

But she continued to stare at him with the same, odd expression that he knew he would never get used to.

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**_Reviews Are Appreciated!_**


	2. In Denial

_**A/N:** _This might not be important toward those who are not Gintama fans, but I'm just going to make a quick announcement...Gintama is coming back up on October 4 and it will be shown on Thursdays instead of Mondays! Fuck yeah, I'm psyched! I've been waiting too long for this!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own this amazing world of Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

* * *

**_Tales of Love_**

**_Chapter Two: In Denial (AU)_**

**_Rated: T_**

* * *

_Day One_

Sakura truly hated herself.

Her eyebrows knitted as Naruto's shoulder gently bumped into hers as they walked down the dirt path. The entire class of second years at the Leaf Academy had a three-day field trip to the beach. Arrangements were made so that they could all stay at a nice, big hotel ten minutes away from the beach. Each room would hold at least eight students, boys separated from the girls. In this case, some of them were required to bring futons. As for the teachers who chose to supervise, each would receive their own suite.

This trip was supposed to be more along the lines of a "getaway paradise." She had to be honest, everything seemed nice so far. Despite the long walk from the bus stop to their destination, the scenery was quite fascinating, not to mention the beautiful, colorful arrangements of flowers. Sakura, however, did not exactly want to attend. She would rather stay hidden in the comfort of her bedroom than tag along.

Unfortunately, both her parents and friends forced her to come. They all said that she was being too uptight and stiff, but they did not know the true explanation of her attitude.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto wailed her name loudly as he once again bumped into her. "Are we there yet?"

Sakura gave him a deathly glare and resumed staring at the dirt path in front of her. Naruto's fear was easily noticeable and he redirected his question at the silver-headed man leading the group of young students.

"Kakashi-sensei! Are we there yet?" he asked, not nearly as loud as he had said before.

Kakashi paused, causing the whole train of students to stop in their tracks. He turned around slowly to face the blonde-haired boy and looked at him with his mismatched eyes. Humming a little, he ordered, "I wish to lecture Naruto for a short while, so the rest of you can go on ahead and trail after Iruka, alright?"

"Hai!" chanted everyone, marching on.

Sakura sighed deeply and took one step. Suddenly, one hand lurched forward and yanked her back, making her stumble. With wide eyes, she looked over her shoulder at Naruto, realizing that she hadn't been the only one to be pulled back. He had also held back Sasuke.

"Stay with me, please!" pleaded Naruto, his tone childish. "I don't want to be alone when I'm given permission to walk again!"

"Naruto," began Kakashi, scratching the back of his head, "I don't think it's right to keep your friends from—"

"It's fine, really." Sakura swatted Naruto's hand away and folded her arms in front of her chest, staring with dull eyes at her mentor. "Sasuke and I are used to it. We don't mind if we sit through your lecture for Naruto."

The pink-haired girl shortly glanced at Sasuke, who nodded at her in agreement.

"Is that so?" wondered Kakashi, rubbing his chin. He stared blankly at the sky before giving her a sudden warm gaze. "I suppose it's okay. I'll make it quick in this case."

Sakura felt a burning sensation down at the pit of her stomach and immediately averted her attention elsewhere. She could feel her cheeks hot and red as she quickly swept her hand across it. She chewed her lip nervously and pretended that she did not care.

Kakashi was the reason why she never wanted to attend the trip.

His very presence just bothered her.

She didn't know why he bothered her. It was simply uncomfortable, especially the way he looked at her. It was as if he was treating her with more delicacy than any other student he had, or perhaps it was only her mind fooling her. Either way, she still didn't like it. She wanted to hate him, despise him more than anyone else, for making her feel these odd emotions, but there was something about him that prevented her from doing so.

"I have to be more mature?" Naruto suddenly gaped, throwing his arms into the air wildly. "Aren't I already mature enough?"

Naruto's loud outburst dragged her away from her thoughts, bringing her focus onto his conversation with Kakashi.

"Well, mature people don't complain and whine every minute," noted Kakashi with a slight frown.

Naruto pouted and turned to face Sasuke. "Sasuke-teme! You think I'm mature, right?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Out of all of the people I know, I think you're the most childish."

"How rude!"

"Maybe you should learn how to act more like an adult."

"This is an outrage!"

"Hn."

"Alright, alright," sighed Kakashi, waving his hands in front of him as if he was swatting the air. "No need to argue. Besides, we need to catch up with the rest of the class. We've fallen behind."

After a moment of calming down, the group of four continued to follow the dirt path. It would be only five to ten more minutes before they would arrive at their destination. Sakura longed to rest in her bed, to lay back and simply relax for the day. The field trip was worsening by the second. With Naruto and Sasuke barking at her side and Kakashi giving her side glances, she would be ready to burst.

"Boys, calm down," grumbled Kakashi, slouching his shoulders and pushing his hands deeper into the pockets of his trousers.

Naruto and Sasuke ignored the teacher's comment and continued to argue back and forth, their voices rising each turn, as they emerged into a small opening where the cliff side was visible.

"Shut up!" growled Sasuke, nudging Naruto toward the left.

"Why don't you?" retorted Naruto. He returned the push, but it was even stronger.

"Oi! What makes you think you can shove me?"

"Well you shoved me, teme!"

"It was a small nudge! I didn't have any intention of hurting you!"

"Oh, really?" snorted Naruto, balling his fists and baring his teeth at the Uchiha.

"Well, I do now!" shouted Sasuke, his hands shooting to grab Naruto by the collar of his shirt.

Naruto, refusing to be defeated, struggled to avoid his opponents attack. He stumbled back, being unable to balance himself as Sasuke forced his hand onto his neck.

"Would you two stop fighting?" snapped Sakura, stopping in her steps to take a deep breath in. "You are seriously getting on my nerve—"

Before she could say any more, Naruto bumped against her, causing her to trip and fall toward the cliff side. Eyes widening and mouth agape, she stared in fear as she slowly fell off the edge. She thought that this would be the end of her. She would die a tragic death in the narrow creek down below, drown or hit her head off to the side.

All of a sudden, Sakura felt a strong, sinewy hand take hold of her small, petite one. She found herself being pulled toward a tall, muscular figure and her cheek immediately made contact with his chest, the impact so strong that it dizzied her. Absentmindedly, her hands crawled up to grip tightly onto his jacket. Her vision began to haze and all she could hear was the loud pumping of her adrenaline.

Everything seemed blurry and out of place. It took her a while to process what had just happened. In the background, she could hear the faint worrying and arguing of Naruto and Sasuke. She tried to turn to look around, but her body was extremely stiff and did not allow her to budge. The only comfort she had was the warmth this person provided for her.

Something gently squeezed her shoulder. "Sakura."

The pink-haired student shuddered and lifted her face, only to find a pair of onyx and red eyes looking directly at her. Her lips parted to say something, but nothing came out. Her grip on him tightened and she closed her mouth. It was obvious now that she was too shocked to say anything.

"Sakura," whispered Kakashi, silently. "Are you alright?"

It took a moment for Sakura to regain her composure. She released him and stepped back, uneasy. Stuttering, she murmured, "Y-Yeah. I'm fine."

Kakashi simply stared at her, unconvinced that she was truly okay. Before he questioned her any further, Naruto squeezed himself in between them and held onto Sakura by her shoulders, shaking her wildly. "Sakura-chan! Thank goodness you're alive! I thought you were going to die and then I would have to punish myself! If I lost you, I don't know what I'd do! I'd be a terrible person for—"

"Dope! Shut up! You're not making her feel any better, you know?" sighed Sasuke, shaking his head in frustration.

Sakura smiled forcefully. "I'm fine, really! You don't have to worry about me," she reassured, "And Naruto, it's not your fault. It's my fault for being so clumsy."

"But Saku—" The blonde stopped in the middle of his sentence when Kakashi gave him a sharp glance.

"You two, Naruto and Sasuke, go on ahead. Be careful as you catch up with the rest of the group. I don't want you guys getting lost, hmm?" said Kakashi.

"Hai," they mumbled as they started to trudge.

"Now, Sakura." He turned his head slightly to look at her with soft, tangible eyes. "Tell me the truth. Are you alright?"

She fidgeted with her fingers nervously. "Like I said, I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me."

"I _do_ need to worry about you," he replied firmly. "You gave me a scare there, Sakura. You might not think it's much of a big deal, but it is for me. I could lose my job if anyone finds out about this incident…and I'd lose a very lovely, intelligent pupil." He smiled at her softly, his eyes creasing.

Her cheeks heated up and she stared at her feet to avoid his gaze. "I-I'm perfectly fine," she murmured stubbornly.

She heard him sigh heavily. For a few minutes, no one spoke. Then, when the time came, he readied himself. "If you ever start to feel uneasy or uncomfortable, come find me and I'll be there to help you," he finally said, quietly.

She swallowed hard.

"Thank you," whispered Sakura.

Kakashi did not reply. She only heard the soft singing of crickets hidden in the bushes by the trees.

At that, she began striding down the dirt path once again, not bothering to take a small glance back over her shoulder. She could hear his silent footsteps as he followed her, a reasonable distance placed between them. She knew that he was watching her with a very close eye. She knew he was worrying over her, not only because she had nearly fallen off the cliff, but also because he noticed that she was acting unusual. It was obvious that he wouldn't leave her alone now.

Sakura closed her eyes momentarily. She really, really wanted to hate him.

**_~ X x . . . x X ~_**

It was impossible for her to fall asleep.

Growling silently, Sakura rolled over in her futon and faced the open window, watching the curtains sway as the wind gently flowed into the bedroom. Everything surrounding her was absolutely quiet, all but the soft snoring of her fellow classmates. It was absolutely peaceful and it was a perfectly relaxing atmosphere. Sakura wondered why it was so hard to just close her eyes and go to sleep.

Pressing her lips together, she watched as the pale clouds slowly floated across the dark blue night sky. The beach didn't appear to be too far away from the hotel, for she could hear the gentle waves crash onto shore and smell the pleasing ocean scent. The pink-haired girl listened intently to the waves to occupy herself for the time being. Eventually, she pulled herself into a cross-legged position after giving up and quietly rose to her feet.

Carefully, she made her way past her sleeping classmates, practically stepping on her tiptoes. She grabbed her jacket, slipped into her flip flops, then made her way toward the exit. When she reached the door she reached for the knob and turned it slowly. She allowed herself out of the bedroom after looking both ways to make sure that the area was clear of the supervisors, then quickly strode down the hallway.

The lobby of the hotel was dimly lit and no one was currently at the reception desk. It was practically deserted. Sakura walked across the tiled floor and pushed the glass doors open. The hinges squeaked slightly as she closed them, but she paid no attention to them. She took in a deep breath, noticing the air outside was much more fresher and less stuffier. Smiling a bit, she continued her journey to the sandy beach that lay not too far off into the distance.

It was a few short minutes before she found herself stepping on the soft white sand. She stared at it with wondering eyes, then kicked her flip flops off. She dug her toes into the sand, enjoying the warm feeling it brought her. After a moment of reminiscing, she bent over to retrieve her footwear, then resumed her stroll, barefoot.

Sakura had been absent from the hotel room for nearly thirty minutes now, not that she cared. She really couldn't sleep and this was the only thing in mind. Besides, she enjoyed the comfort of the beach. It was nice and pleasant, and it definitely got rid of her troubling thoughts.

The young student paused and faced the great blue ocean, watching as the waves swallowed the shore then sunk back to its place. Hesitantly, she dipped her feet into the shallow part of the shore, the sudden coldness making her jump. She managed to suppress her squeal and stood still as the water splashed around her ankles. Sakura quickly glanced at her shorts to see how short they were. After a quick thought, she attempted to move further into the sea.

"I don't think that's a very good idea."

Sakura's lips parted to gasp and her eyes widened. She partly turned around and saw that Kakashi was standing a couple of feet behind her. He was wearing khakis that clung loosely around his waist, a blue tank top that was partially covered by his dark jacket, and black sandals. He was glaring at her intently with his usual undecipherable expression.

"You might catch a cold," he continued quietly. "I suggest you return to the hotel."

Her face set and her body steadied. "How did you know I was here?"

Kakashi scratched the side of his head and explained, "I managed to catch you as you were turning at the corner of the hallway. I followed you all the way out here and I was surprised that you didn't notice."

"I don't have time to pay attention to those little details," she murmured grouchily, folding her arms in front of her chest.

The silver-haired man hummed silently in response and stared off into the distance with wondering eyes. Sakura watched him closely, hoping to read what was currently on his mind. However, due to his odd personality, she was unable to find his emotions.

She sighed drastically and trudged out of the shallow water, the bottom of her feet soon meeting the soft, dry sand of the beach. It was hard to understand why that man would go through so much trouble just to keep an eye out on her. She knew that she was nothing special, yet he always chose to stick by her side. Kakashi had done so much for her, but she gave nothing in return. Wasn't he tired of her already?

Frowning, Sakura fell back and sat on the ground, hugging her knees and pulling them close to her chin. She stared bluntly at the full moon, noticing its white luminous glow. From behind, she heard the silent noise of his footsteps and immediately knew that he was standing close beside her, but she chose not to look at him.

Kakashi released a heavy breath. "Why are you up so late?" he asked.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Can't sleep."

"Hmm." The teacher seated himself next to her, his knee slightly brushing against her thigh. "Is something bothering you?"

"I don't know…" Her voice trailed off into an inaudible whisper. She truly didn't know what was bugging her. It was a mystery, even to her.

"You don't know?" he repeated, a bit puzzled at her answer.

Sakura remained silent. She did not want to talk to him at all. She wished that he would just disappear along with the rest of her troubles. They were all beginning to get on her nerve and it was absolutely irritating. Sakura despised how people tried to help her, as if they knew and understood her emotions. No one could help her. Not even herself could find a resolution.

"I came here a lot when I was in high school," Kakashi suddenly said, quietly.

The pink-haired girl directed her gaze toward her mentor, turning her head slightly. His face was concentrated and there was a pained look in his eyes.

He continued, "When I was your age, I had trouble making friends. I was so full of myself…Damn, I even had trouble before I started high school." He paused and chuckled to himself momentarily, reminiscing in his past. "Despite my cold attitude toward others, everyone still tried to befriend me. They were all persistent. Guy, Genma, Kurenai…I thought they were all foolish."

Sakura listened intently, watching him closely. She noticed that his barriers were beginning to tumble down and it was much more easier to read his expression than before.

"There were two particular people that were the most foolish," he explained, "and they ended being my closest friends. We came here a lot during our spare time, along with our sensei, Minato."

"Naruto's father?" she said aloud, absentmindedly.

Kakashi nodded once. "It was a sweet, yet extremely short period of happiness…but then one day my father died. He committed suicide."

Sakura felt her heart stop at those words and pity immediately began to fill her.

"I couldn't believe what had happened. I was so terrified when I saw him lying dead on the floor when I came home from school," he murmured, slouching over, bringing his elbows down to his thighs. "I remember…I was angry. I couldn't control myself and my friends, Obito and Rin, died soon after as well, trying to protect me from this so-called hatred. I was running away and as I crossed the street, a car was driving by quickly and I was too infuriated to notice. Obito took his own life to save me. He pushed me out of the way and died when the car hit him head-on. The next day, I went deep into the forest, hoping to escape all of the madness. Rin tried to followed me, and it was raining heavily. She slipped on the mud, fell off the ledge, and into the deep creek below. She hit her head on a large rock and she was discovered unconscious an hour later. I blamed myself for not knowing that she would do such a thing and I was too afraid to face her. I never visited her in the hospital. She passed away a week later. I never got a chance to say goodbye…"

She gritted her teeth and balled her fists. Why was he telling her this? Why was he entrusting her with his personal experiences? What did he see in her that convinced him that he could trust her? Her eyelids clasped closed, her eyebrows burrowing. She really, really wanted to hate him. She really, really wanted to push him away.

"Sometimes I wish I would just…disappear." He laughed with a pained tone. "I'm a horrible person, aren't I?"

But she couldn't hate him now.

Sakura swallowed. "You aren't a horrible person."

"Huh?" Kakashi glanced at her, surprised at her response.

"You're a good guy," she began slowly, gathering the correct words to say. "A person with great humor, amazing intelligence, and excellent leadership skills. Everyone looks up to you…including me." She paused, then said with a more motivated tone, "You…you don't need to disappear! Y-You're important to us!"

Kakashi's hand rose to wipe his watering eyes and she stared at him, amazed that he was nearly about to break into tears. He hung his head, his silver hair falling in front of his forehead. All of a sudden, he began to laugh softly, the palm of his hand pressed onto his discarded eye.

"W-What's so funny?" she demanded, nervously.

"Nothing," he answered with a small smile. "I'm just glad that there are people out there in the world like you."

He ruffled the top of her head, his grin growing wider, his eyes creasing happily. Her stomach churned uncomfortably as she glared at his smile.

She really wanted to hate him, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

_**~ X x . . . x X ~**_

_Day Two_

All Sakura wanted was to be alone.

The gentle breeze blew over the horizon, pushing the small mounds of sand further back. Her hand reached up to hold onto her sun hat to inhibit its escape into the sky. She dug her toes deeper into the sand, feeling the warmth slowly embrace her. She was isolated, sitting by a slightly large cliff that nearly extended over the ocean.

Sakura was well hidden, she knew that very well. Though she could see her classmates clearly, watching them as they waded through the ocean's blue water, she knew that they could not see her. The dark smooth stones surrounding her were partly the reason why she was so invisible. Besides, after many years the pink-haired girl came to realize that she was rarely noticeable due to her silent personality.

But why was it so easy for him to find her?

She eyed the lean figure of her sensei to the right, observing as he stretched his arms outwards then planted his hands on both sides, the muscles on his stomach and arms flexing, giving her a warm feeling down in her stomach. Shaking her head, she redirected her attention back to the calming ocean. It was hard for her to understand how he had found her in the first place.

It didn't make sense. She made sure that she was alone and far away from the rest of the crowd. She was always extremely adept when it came to sneaking away and it always had been successful. There had never been anyone who was able to discover her location without any trouble. Had she lost her touch?

Her eyes closed shut. The arriving of problems were simply incessant. It killed her jubilant mood.

"Why do you like being isolated from the rest, Sakura?" Kakashi's baritone voice rang in her ears and she hummed softly to the rhythm.

"It's better that way," she breathed. She lifted her chin to stare up at the seagulls as they tore across the bright blue sky, singing gleefully. In spite of the joyful mood in the atmosphere, bitterness filled her, making her nose crinkle and eyebrows bunch. "I've come to learn that the world we live in doesn't deserve a heavy burden. I'm only weighing everyone else down with my own conflicts, so I am of no use."

"That is not true."

She glanced at him momentarily. She awaited his continuation.

The silver-haired man took in a slow, deep breath. "I've noticed that you stand out, Sakura. Not because of your appearance, but because of your personality. After a year of having you in my class, I realized that you're one of those very few people that help bring everyone close together. You teach people the true meaning of friendship. Even I learned a couple of things from you."

"You make me sound like I'm some sort of a perfect goddess," she muttered, turning to look elsewhere.

"In my eyes, you are perfect." His sudden comment immediately brought her attention back to him. "Howver, even the perfect have their own little predicaments," he murmured, "Which is why your classmates and I surround you with care. We're all here for a reason, Sakura…"

An odd feeling began to bubble in her chest and she felt small tears springing to her eyes. She felt the urge to smile, but she resisted and hugged her knees, bringing her chin close to her kneecaps. She shivered and released an uneasy breath. Why did she suddenly feel comforted and reassured? Most importantly, why was she feeling…_happy_?

The sand beside her shifted and a dark shadow abruptly loomed over her, hiding the shining sun away from sight. Sakura peeked upward, only to find Kakashi standing tall before her, extending a hand toward her. She swallowed hard when she saw that his eyes were smiling despite the serious expression on his face. For a moment, she hesitated, but eventually, she reached out to hold onto his hand and he pulled her up to her feet.

He continued to tug her gently along, bringing her to another place farther away from her classmates. They walked hand-in-hand, side-by-side, down the shallow shore of the beach. She chewed the inside of her cheek as his grip around her hand tightened.

_Why did I take his hand?_

They kept walking until he was sure that they were far away from publicity. His grip loosened, but he did not let go. He ushered her into the cold, refreshing shore and the freezing water stung her pale skin. Sakura nervously followed him deeper into the ocean until both of their bottom halfs of their body was covered. Because the liquid was crystal clear, she was able to see that he was close to her side, his trunks brushing against her bare thighs.

_Why can't I run away?_

Finally, he released her and she nearly lost her balance as the gentle waves swayed her around. Kakashi softly laughed at her clumsiness. Irritated, she frowned and splashed a great amount of water onto him. The man found himself completely soaked, his drenched silver hair hanging lifelessly in front of his forehead. He stared at her with a slightly surprised expression, and then it was Sakura's turn to laugh.

Smirking deviously, he chased after her, trying to get a hold of her as they both waded through the troublesome ocean. Her legs eventually grew tired and she paused shortly. She realized that it was a mistake to stop and rest when his strong arms snaked around her waist, bringing her back into his lean chest. By now, she was giggling uncontrollably at their foolishness, her hands rising to hold onto his wrists.

_Why am I enjoying his company?_

His face came close and he pressed his nose against the back of her neck and smiled against her porcelain skin. Though the crashing of the waves were unbearably loud, she was still somehow capable of hearing his hushed whisper, "I told you…you make everyone around you happy."

Sakura only held onto him tighter, having nothing else to say in response. The two remained like that for the next five minutes before returning to the comfort of their hotel rooms.

_Why does he always make me feel better about myself?_

_**~ X x . . . x X ~**  
_

_Day 3_

Sakura stayed indoors within the hotel room she shared with a few other classmates. It had been nearly three hours since the class left without her. They all planned a grand picnic out by the tropical forest and as much fun as it sounded, she refused to go. To avoid attending the event, she simply lied to the ones that had tried getting her out of bed, Ino and Tenten, saying that she wasn't feeling very well. She assumed that they told the others about her illness and hoped that they were all convinced.

Sighing, she rolled onto her side and pulled the blankets further up and covered her nose. She slowly reached for her cell lying next to her futon and unlocked it. It was past noon and the feast was supposed to start soon. They would just need to finish cooking preparations and then it would all be ready to go.

She tossed her phone aside and covered her eyes with her hands. It was hard for her to believe that she pretended to be sick in order to prevent the others from dragging her along. This occasion was the reason why she went on the field trip in the first place, yet something deep down in her gut told her not to. She didn't want to admit it, but she already knew the cause of her fickle mood.

Her lips curled into a bitter frown and she tried to erase the thoughts of her problems away from her mind. She turned onto her back, pulled her pillow from beneath her head, and slapped it straight onto her face. "Fuck my life," she growled frustratingly, burying her face deep into the cotton, "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Her hands clenched and she stiffly held them by her sides, trying her best to keep herself from punching a hole into the floor.

After what seemed like an eternity, her breathing finally calmed and she lazily brought the pillow down to her stomach, hugging it tightly. Her eyes slid closed and she shuddered at the sound of the automatic air conditioner switching on.

It was terribly silent for the next few minutes and she was beginning to find the silence unbearable. Perhaps she should have gone to the picnic after all?

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of her phone vibrating next to her. She eyed the item, noticing that the message icon was blinking on and off. Deciding that it would be a nuisance to reach over and take a look, she remained still. Messages, much to her misfortune, continued to be received and she was starting to think that she'd just go and throw her cell out the window.

Just when she thought she had enough, her phone started to ring.

Rolling her eyes, she finally answered it. "Hello?"

"_Sakura?"_

It was Kiba.

"Kiba? What do you want? Didn't the others tell you I'm not feeling good?" wondered Sakura, forcing a rasp voice to make her illness sound convincing.

"_No, it's not that! It's…it's…"_

"I don't have all day! What do you want?" Sakura demanded more firmly.

_"It's Kakashi-sensei."_

Shock consumed her, as well as worry. The way Kiba had spoken her teacher's name definitely concerned her. He had said it so silently, in such a frightened, hushed whisper. Hands shaking, she croaked, "What about him?"

_"It's not good. I don't know if he's alright. It just happened__—"_

"What happened?" she interrupted, her voice full of unease.

_"Kakashi-sensei__…_he fell."

Her lips parted slightly.

Sakura's memories flashed before her and she quickly recalled the large cliff that she had nearly fallen off of before they came to the hotel. Her heart nearly stopped and breathing suddenly was hard for her. A mixture of emotions swelled up in her chest and she sat up, gasping for air_, _her phone dropping in the process.

It was then when Sakura realized the true situation this cruel world decided to bind her in.

_"Sakura? Hello? Sakura! You there?"_

There was no response, for the pink-haired girl had already rushed out of the room.

* * *

**_TBC_**

**_Reviews Are Appreciated!_**


	3. In Denial: Part Two

_**A/N:** _Hello, hello. I've been having a hard time writing new updates for all of my stories and I have been getting busier and busier. It's frustrating, but I will try my best to keep up with all of this. I hope you will be able to bear with me and my lousy schedule.

Disclaimer- Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

* * *

**_Tales of Love_**

**_Chapter Three: In Denial - Part Two (AU)_**

**_Rated: T_**

* * *

It was so very hard for Sakura to breathe.

She sprinted through the forest, holding her arms in front of her face to protect herself from the incoming branches and leaves. She had somehow steered away from the dirt path during her journey and lost herself within the dense woods. However, she was sure that if she continued running straight, an opening would eventually come into view. All that mattered at the moment was hurrying to see if her sensei was alright and unharmed.

A small shriek escaped her mouth as the tip of a branch scraped against her cheek. It stung, but her concentration did not waver. The trip felt incessant, but once she emerged out from between the large trees, relief immediately washed over her. Breathing heavily, she jogged to the middle of the tiny sector where the cliff side was visible. Looking from side to side, she tried to see whether her classmates were here.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Her ears quirked and she cocked her head in the direction the name had been called. Her body began to move on its own and she eventually found herself standing within a large group of teacher supervisors and students. Sakura's gaze moved to the sitting figure by the barbecue grill. She glared for a long time, feeling relieved, worried, and hurt all at the same time.

"Kakashi-sensei!" exclaimed Kiba. "You shouldn't leave those wounds unattended. At least let Kurenai-sensei put some medicine ointment on you!"

"But I already put the bandages on. I should be fine," he drawled, rubbing the band-aid on his chin.

"Sensei…" The dark-haired boy sighed, bringing his hand to his forehead. He turned on his heel and stared at the slightly bedraggled pinkette. "Oh, Sakura-chan. I thought you were sick."

Sakura gave no response and stepped closer to the resting man, her heart beating painfully fast against her chest. A mixture of foreign emotions began to swim inside of her, making her shudder with discomfort. A portion of it was disbelief, but she was certain that most of it was joy that Kakashi was not gone and badly injured like she had first thought. The reasons for these emotions were truly horrible. It was humiliating that she looked up to this person, but the worst component of it all was that she finally realized that she had fallen for him. Hard.

"Oh, Sakura-chan. We got cut off earlier when I called you!" recalled Kiba, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "I was going to tell you that Kakashi-sensei fell off a tree after accepting Naruto's challenge to climb to the very top. I must have worried you. You came all the way out here when you weren't feeling good!"

Her lips parted and she chuckled uneasily. "Baka."

The boy looked at her strangely as she brushed past him. "Sakura-chan?"

"Baka," she repeated silently, her eyes clasping closed.

Kakashi stared up at her oddly as she held to a halt in front of him. He remained silent, but the concern was obvious on his face. Suddenly, she dropped to her knees, her hands planting firmly onto the dirt ground. His mismatched eyes eventually widened once he saw the narrow cut on her cheek and he reached out to wipe away the nearly dried blood that had seeped out. Tears abruptly began to rain down and it caught him by surprise as a few dropped onto his knuckles.

"Baka," she whispered for only him to hear, "You got me worked up over nothing."

Sakura continued to cry and Kakashi wrapped her in a gentle embrace, knowing that it was the only good comfort he had to offer.

**_~ X x . . . x X ~_**

As she flipped through the paperwork sitting on her desk, she attempted to recall how many days had passed since she came back from her class trip. Those days became months, and then those months became years. At the age of eighteen, Sakura received an invitation from one of Konoha's most excelling universities. A majority of the tuition was paid off by the university and she paid for the rest. She purchased and moved into her own apartment complex in the richer part of the city, which was quite large and spacious. Sakura studied hard, hoping that one day she would be able to become a successful doctor.

Once she hit the ripe age of twenty, Sakura began to work part-time at the hospital. Part-timers often were restricted from participating with the ill, but the head medic Tsunade was impressed with her medical skills and Sakura was therefore frequently needed. The following year she was hired and she continued her studies at the same time. Sakura was somewhat of a hermit and was usually socially deprived, but from time to time she managed to reunite with her old friends from her high school academy.

Most of the time, she remained in her complex and would only emerge to attend her classes or to go grocery shopping. She found it unnecessary to eat out in restaurants or small cafés. The pinkette considered herself a well-rounded cook. Her mother had taught her many family and gourmet recipes and even gave her a few pointers. Her mother's food was undeniably delicious and Sakura always tried her best to make her meals just as amazing.

She was an independent, young adult and preferred to be so. She rarely relied on anyone, nor trusted them. Sakura vowed to never grow too close to people. Having close bonds hurt; they were painful and hearts were always broken.

It was a difficult lifestyle, but it suited her well.

Pressing her lips together, she stared at the remaining of her paperwork, trying to remember where she had last left off.

"Sakura?"

Her head instantly snapped up at the address of her name. At the doorway stood Shizune, one of her hospital coworkers. Her arms were folded in front of her chest and a concerned frown was beginning to spread across her face. "It's getting a bit late. You should head on home and take a little break. I'm assuming you have studies to take care of as well?" she said quietly.

Sakura sunk further back into her chair. "I do, but it's only nine. I can still work for another hour."

"Please go home, Sakura," insisted Shizune. "It's not good for college students such as yourself to be overworking."

Knowing that she wouldn't be able to persuade her, Sakura gathered her belongings and pulled the strap of her bag over her shoulder. She slowly made her exit, waving a blunt goodbye to the woman. "Alright, alright," she sighed. "I'll take it easy. I'll see you on Monday, Shizune-san."

The air was cold as Sakura stepped out of the hospital and she cursed herself for not bringing a jacket or sweater of some sort. Scrunching her nose, she pushed her way through the large crowds. Every corner, every turn, she only met another wall of people and with every step she took, she only wished more that she had heeded's Shizune's advice from the very start. Perhaps if she had left before dark, it would have been less crowded and less difficult to see where she was going.

It was only a matter of time before things worsened. The dark clouds had started to roll in and droplets of water began to rain down upon her. She was an idiot for not bringing a jacket and an umbrella, and the many men and women around her who had what she didn't angered her even further.

Teeth chattering, the pinkette rushed into a narrow alleyway, hoping that the two buildings surrounding her would help shield her from the pouring rain. It provided very little protection, but it was enough to keep the water from streaming down her face. Sighing, she fell back against the cold concrete wall behind her and ran her hand through her damp pink locks. Sakura officially hated the rain. She was freezing, soaking wet, and she was almost certain that she would be feeling unwell the following day.

Sakura sank to the ground and hugged her legs, burying her chin between her knees. She tried to think of a time where things rarely went wrong, a time when she was often happy with life. How did it all change, she wondered? Perhaps she had become too solitary and focused on her career to mind her friends and family. Truthfully, she missed all of that. She missed hearing the obnoxiously loud yapping of Naruto and Ino, the idle remarks of the lazy Shikamaru, and the crazed barking of Kiba and his dog. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen them. Perhaps it had been two months since she reunited with them. Did they hate her now that she refused to leave her studies and work unattended? Did they think lowly of her because all she ever thought about was herself?

She shook her head violently. There was no possible way that her friends would think such things. They were too kind.

Sakura released an inward groan and pulled herself to her feet. She was unsure about how long it had been since she escaped to this narrow path, but she assumed it was quite long, for the streets were nearly desolate. Fortunately for her, it made traveling much more easier. She was sure that now she would be able to make it home and have enough time to study before flopping onto her bed for a good night's sleep.

The rain wasn't letting up, however. Her skin was beginning to grow icy numb and it was difficult moving her limbs. She wouldn't be surprised if she got a frostbite.

Chewing the inside of her cheek, she hurried to the stoplight and rapidly pressed the pedestrian button, muttering a string of curses beneath her breath. When the light signaled that it was safe for pedestrians to cross, she nearly jumped with joy and prepared to take off. Suddenly, before she could even take a step, the rain pounding on her head held to a halt and a dark shadow loomed over her figure.

"Isn't it a bit late for a young lady to be wandering the streets?"

Her lips parted slightly and almost instantly all of the air escaped her lungs. Shuddering at the blunt, husky tone, she turned around only to meet a pair of onyx and crimson eyes. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at her former teacher, trying to decipher the look behind his fathomless gaze. It had been many years since she had last seen him. She nearly didn't recognize him.

Sakura looked elsewhere. "I'm not wandering," she murmured. "I'm on my way home."

"Ah." He adjusted the position of the umbrella so that it would be covering the both of them from the rain. Scratching the back of his head, he remarked, "You look cold and wet."

"I didn't think it would rain so hard," she confessed shamefully. Sakura glanced across the street and saw that she was no longer able to cross. Sighing, she pressed the button once again. "I never thought I'd see you again."

"As did I. I suppose this is just pure luck."

Pink eyebrows furrowed at that response. It was lucky for him, but unlucky for her. He was one of the many people she really didn't want to encounter at the moment.

"I can accompany you home, if you'd like?" he asked silently. "You seem a bit lonely, not to mention the fact that you neither have an umbrella or jacket."

As much as she wanted for him to leave her alone, she just couldn't refuse the offer. She was indeed lacking these things and staying any longer in this condition would worsen her health. Not only that, but even if she did refuse, she was almost positive that he would still insist on tagging along. Accepting his offer would save her the trouble of handling his persistence.

"That'd be nice," she answered subtly. "Thank you."

He didn't say anything in return. The lights began to blink and the two of them started to cross the street. Their tread to her apartment building was awfully silent, not that it mattered to her. She noticed that he glanced in her direction every once in a while, but dismissed it and resumed ignoring him. He was only concerned and she was grateful that he cared, but she really didn't want him to be here. This was the man that sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach, made her short of breath, and turned her knees into jello. Four years had passed and even now those feelings still remained unchanged.

"I ran into Naruto the other day," he began reluctantly, shoving his unoccupied hand into the pocket of his trousers. "He told me how you were accepted into Kenkyū University. Congratulations."

"Thanks," she spoke through gritted teeth. How much more did Naruto tell him? She surely didn't want him being aware of her current lifestyle.

"I graduated from there as well," he continued. "It was a bit difficult, but I somehow managed. How is it for you?"

"Somewhat the same. The professors there have taken a liking to me so I don't exactly have much to worry about."

"That's good." He smiled at her slightly, the corner of his eyes creasing into that familiar way. He twirled the umbrella above them and she watched as the droplets shot down from it. "You are a pretty likable person, so I'm not surprised."

Sakura felt her cheeks grow hot and she bit her lip so hard that she was sure that she punctured it. She nearly forgot about his habits of complimenting her. They were such simple compliments with such simple words, yet it still always managed to affect her. Sakura wasn't sure how much more she could take with his presence. Certainly, she wouldn't make out of this alive.

Perhaps she should have fled the first second she saw him. Then again, he had the advantage of longer legs so he probably would have caught up to her anyways.

The pinkette clenched her jaw as an effort to hold herself back from screaming out of frustration.

"You alright?"

She gazed up at him to see that he was staring straight at her, an eyebrow raised and a puzzled frown spreading across his face.

"I'm fine," she lied flatly, redirecting her attention to the path in front of them.

"Sakura…"

"Kakashi-sensei, I'm an adult now. I'm no longer a foolish teenager, or child, as you often referred us to."

There was a short pause.

Kakashi eyed her momentarily and sighed heavily. "I find the honorific quite unnecessary," he hummed rhythmically. "Don't you?"

Sakura tossed her head in the other direction, eyebrows furrowing. "Sensei—"

"Ah, ah," he interrupted, waggling his index finger from side to side. "From this point on, you will only address me by Kakashi."

"Can I at least use a different honorific other than 'sensei'? Like 'sempai'?"

"Nope."

She rolled her eyes at him.

"You were, after all, the one who said that you were no longer a teenager, but an adult. Therefore, that makes us equals. Am I not correct?"

Sakura was ready to launch her fist at him. It took all her might to restrain herself from doing so.

"Fine, Kakashi! Better?" she snapped, her rosy face practically fuming with anger.

"Better."

It took nearly half of their journey to her apartment building for her boiling frustration to settle. Thankfully, Kakashi chose not to converse anymore. It was likely that he knew that if he made one more comment he would be digging his own grave, but whether he was aware of the consequences or not, she was still extremely thankful. Sakura, however, did feel a tad bit guilty.

She was well aware that Kakashi hadn't done anything to deserve any of her resentment. He was a warmhearted, caring man and his behavior was always like so due to his concern about his friends. He was undeserving of the indignation she was bringing him, but she couldn't help acting so rudely toward him. Her mind frequently automatically registered it as the only escape from his kind, loving care. Her body always acted on its own, moving away from him and giving him the cold shoulder.

But it was the only way to avoid those cursed feelings.

"Sakura, I didn't mean to make you mad earlier," Kakashi spoke at last. There was an obvious regret behind his dry tone.

Her emerald eyes softened. "I know you didn't."

"I just wanted to see that part of you again. I'm still shocked at how mature you've become."

"Well, there's no helping growing up."

"I know…" Kakashi's voice trailed off into an inaudible murmur. "You've really changed, Sakura."

The said girl rose a petal-colored brow. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Well on my part, perhaps," he grinned foolishly at her. "Frankly, I can't stand the idea of you kids eventually becoming equals. It's fun being admired as the 'totally cool and intelligent' teacher."

She nearly snorted at his response. The statement was true, however. Before, she could recall how all of his classes looked up to him and considered him an astounding, perfect role model. Unfortunately for him, now that they were grownups they no longer saw him as such a figure. He was now only a simple kind man who had once been their mentor in the academy. That was that.

Sakura shook her head and smiled slightly. Hugging her arms and attempting to ignore the chilling breeze moving against her moist skin, she tried to remember the times when she was still in the academy. When she had first met Kakashi, all she saw was a completely odd and elusive man. Many of her female classmates squealed over him, chatting about how gorgeous he looked, while her male classmates talked about how relaxed and popular he was. Kakashi was a popular teacher in the academy and both students and teachers admired him greatly. She was most likely the only person who looked at him normally as if he was just any other human being.

How did she come to fall for him, she wondered? Sakura started to notice the little things about him halfway through the school year. He often kept solitary and refused to join large gatherings. When he was surrounded by friends, she realized that he never took part in what they were doing. He would always remain toward the back where he was safely hidden from the attention. Kakashi also usually read books that weren't very appropriate in particular. He read smut, to be exact, but every now and then he'd bother reading actual literature.

He was truly a mysterious man, but very warmhearted and passionate. Before their summer class trip, she became aware of how kind he was. Sakura had never paid much attention to him and it amazed her once she saw how good of a person he was. Still, she found it annoying how she began looking up to him. Perhaps it was fact that she was adopting the rest of her classmates' childish behaviors that bothered her. Or maybe it was how he treated her, being more mindful of her. He was always concerned about all of his students, but she always got this feeling that he was watching her more than the others. She assumed it was merely her mind's trickery, but way in the back of her head she knew that it wasn't.

Sakura shuddered and closed her eyes momentarily to forcefully wash away all of the thoughts.

"Sakura, are you alright?" she heard Kakashi ask.

"Of course I am," Sakura replied nonchalantly.

The wind picked up and it was then when she remembered that she was still in a stormy setting. Goosebumps began to appear all over her paling skin and her former mentor glared at her quizically.

He pointed out, "You're shivering."

"I most certainly am not. You must be imagining things. Did you have a drink before you headed out, sensei?"

Silence.

"Kakashi," corrected the silver-haired man. "And no, I did not. I don't drink during the weekdays."

She rolled her eyes. Did he just admit to drinking on a regular basis during the weekends?

"I'm not shivering, Kakashi," muttered Sakura.

"Yes, you are."

"Am I really?"

"It couldn't be more obvious."

Before Sakura could think of another retort to shoot right back at him, Kakashi was already shrugging out of his jacket and placing it around her shoulders. Cheeks reddening, she held to an abrupt halt and watched him with big beryl eyes as he finished wrapping her with the clothing article. The warmth was welcoming and it certainly soothed her nerves, but looking at the man and seeing that he now had nothing but a thin long sleeved shirt on made her gut twist with a strong, painful culpability.

"Kakashi, I can't take this," she declined.

She attempted to remove his jacket, but his hand firmly held onto her petite one that reached over to pull it off her shoulders. Feeling her body flush a deep shade of red, she looked back and glared at Kakashi's face. It was stern, his mismatched eyes slowly growing undecipherable. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to convince him that she didn't need it, she turned to stare at the wet sidewalk stretched in front of them.

The grip on her hand tightened. "You need it more than I do."

Biting on her bottom lip, Sakura squirmed out of his grasp. They lapsed into a short period of silence before they resumed their walk. She couldn't stop stealing glances of him. Truthfully, she was a tad bit worried about him. He wasn't equipped with nothing more than the umbrella to protect himself from the cold winds and rain. He did awfully too much for her, she realized, and she didn't like how he was willing to put herself first before anything else.

It wasn't fair. Why was he always like this?

"Now _you're_ shivering," noted Sakura quietly.

He shrugged bluntly. "As long as you're warm and protected from this storm, then I'm perfectly okay."

Finding no appropriate response to his statement, she remained silent. Kakashi was far too kind toward her. Why did he treat her differently than the others. How did he always manage to make her insides churn uncomfortably? Most importantly, why was she fond of him?

Sakura gritted her teeth as his sturdy shoulder bumped into hers.

With every little touch.

"Sakura."

With every little word.

"I have to be completely honest with you."

She continued to crumble into tiny, broken pieces.

"I missed you so much."

She was completely vulnerable.

Finally being unable to take the madness any longer, she stopped in her tracks, Kakashi seizing to a halt a few steps in front of her. He stared at her, his eyes growing slightly wide, mouth agape. Sakura simply glared in return, feeling a mixture of anger, frustration, want, and need bubbling in her chest. The emotions were overwhelming and she despised them with all her heart.

"You're crying," he sputtered.

Sakura found his utterance true. Tears were rapidly streaming down the sides of her cheeks, but with the pouring rain it was almost hard to tell. Her eyebrows knitted and her lips pressed together as an effort to restrain herself from wailing. His hand reached out to comfort her, but she instantly swatted it away.

"I hate it when you do this to me!" she choked out.

"Sakura," he attempted to reach out once more, only to be rejected like he had been before.

"I hate how you're always being so nice to me! You're always smiling at me, you're always concerned about me…" Her fists balled at her side and her eyelids crashed closed, her tears continuing to fall in sync with the raindrops. "No one else but you had managed to get through me! I just _hate_ how you make me feel! Why, of all people in the entire world, did it have to be you? Why…of all of people…did I fall in love with you?"

The words left her lips unbidden. Her puffy eyes cracked open and she stared at the silver-haired man in front of her, a million thoughts reeling in her mind. She waited for a reply of some sort; anything would suffice. Seconds grew into minutes, and she began to feel even more pain rise in her chest. Tearing her gaze away from his, she scolded herself for allowing her distraught to overcome herself.

Suddenly, Kakashi laughed humorlessly.

"You know, I always thought you hated me."

Almost immediately her attention returned to him. He reached out for the last time and she permitted it. His thumb gently wiped away her sorrowful tears and he smiled reassuringly, his hand softly caressing her cheek. Kakashi leaned forward so close that Sakura could practically feel his dense breaths bounce off the tip of her rosy nose.

"I'm really glad you don't."

And as he closed the distance between them, his warm lips descended upon hers, the umbrella above them shielding them from sight.

Sakura then came to a conclusion that there was no more denying the fact that she had fallen so hard for this man, and that there was no denying that he fell just as hard.

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_**In Denial - Fin**_

_**Reviews Are Appreciated!**_

_Some things you should know:_

_1) When I say "Fin", I mean it's the end of the drabble, not the entire drabble series. Just wanted to clarify that!_

_2) I know it took so very long for me to write the continuation of the previous part. I was caught up with school and I had difficulties plotting this out. Let's just say that I rewrote this about ten times._


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